Their First Beltane
by GaeilgeRua
Summary: After years of seeing Beltane rituals across Britain attacked by red caps, Hermione does what she does best to try and stop them. And she gets some help from her boyfriend.
1. Red Caps and Romps

Initially written for Granger Enchanted's 2014 Beltane Drabble War. Each chapter is from a different week of the event. There were not any requirements in regards to pairings or that each week needed to connect to the others, but I chose to do so. I do not have the prompts for the first chapter, but I do have the prompts for the second and third so I will include those in the notes for those chapters.

Back in 2014, this was beta'd by the lovely Meiri. Before I posted it now, I did go through and edit it a little bit, but I left it relatively alone, so any errors are my own. The fantastic aesthetic was created by thescarletphoenixx.

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything recognisable from the HP world. I am not making any money off of this.

* * *

Hermione looked around the library for a stool to stand on to reach the top shelf where the book she had been looking for was located.

"Damn, where did that step stool go?" Raising her wand, she whispered, "_Accio stool._"

She waited for a few moments, but when no stool was forthcoming, Hermione turned and made her way back to the bookcase she wanted. She'd only been to the Davies' library a few times since she started dating Roger six months ago, but she had quickly learned her way around most of the expansive room.

The first time Roger had brought her here, she was shocked to see that the library was as big as it was. She expected to see a room with about six or so bookcases, like many familial libraries she'd visited, but the Davies' library rivalled the Malfoy Manor library that Draco showed her last year when he allowed her access during a project that the two had collaborated on together for work.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" She turned around upon hearing Roger's seductive baritone close behind her.

The brunette witch took a moment to appreciate the view he provided. He could honestly rival Draco's looks as far as Hermione was concerned, but what gave him a leg up over her blond coworker was his easygoing and confident demeanour. He was good looking, and he knew it, but he didn't flaunt it in everyone's face like Draco sometimes did. Although, she did get quite a laugh out of Draco's flabbergasted reaction to her accepting Roger's dinner invitations and date requests rather than his own. She'd just patted his cheek and told him there was someone better suited for him than she was.

Hermione shook herself out of her thoughts at Roger's questioning glance.

"Well, when I was in Draco's library last year, I noticed that he did not have any books on red caps beyond our school texts, which is surprising by the way, and I currently need something more in depth." She turned back around to peruse the bookshelves again.

Roger moved along behind her as she moved on to the next bookcase.

"I'm looking for books to use in formulating my recommendations for curbing red caps' proclivities for interrupting blood magic ward renewal rituals, Beltane rituals when the May Queen happens to be a virgin or really any sexual encounter where a woman loses her virginity. My superiors want them finalised and implemented before Beltane, which is less than a month away." She broke off her lengthy explanation to look over her shoulder at her boyfriend, pointing to the shelf high above her. "So I was looking through your library and low and behold, you have the book I need, but it is on the top shelf."

Roger peered at the book she indicated, Red Caps: From A to Z. "Ah, I can see why you would want that book, but you're wrong. It's a shallow treatise, lacking depth. There is a better one we have."

"No, I'm not." She looked at him, confusion furrowing her brow. "Wait, what do you mean there's one better?"

He nodded his head, pointing behind her. "You are wrong, love. Let me show you." His eyes narrowed mischievously, as he stepped closer, placing his left hand against the shelf next to Hermione's head, to reach over her shoulder to the shelf behind her back. Drawing his hand back, he held a thicker tome, Red Caps: Thom Arland Dindal's Time Among the Bloodthirsty Creatures, in his hand. "This is the book you want."

Hermione looked up at him, smiling. "Oh, thank you, Roger." She reached for the book, but he moved it from her reach and set it on a table that suddenly appeared next to him.

"You're welcome, love, but it can wait." He grinned devilishly. "There is a fantasy that I wish to fulfil with you."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. A smirk spread across her lips. She could not wait to see what new fantasy Roger had up his sleeve. "Oh? What fantasy is that?"

He brought his right hand back to join his left on the other side of Hermione's head, caging her between his hard body and the unmoving bookcase. "Ever since we were in Hogwarts together, I've wanted to fuck you in the library, and what better library than my own?"

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything recognisable from the HP world. I am not making any money off of this.


	2. Reviving the Old Ways

Somehow I did not have the original prompts for round/chapter one, but here are the prompts I used for this

Word Prompts: bubble, cauldron, daffodil

Scene prompt: For the first time in three generations, [Malfoy Manor, Grimmauld Place, Lestrange Park, Rosier Abbey, &c-choose one!] had an owner who cared to honour the old ways. (For this one, I obviously went with the Davies home.)

* * *

It was a week later that Hermione finally emerged from the Davies' family library with a grin on her face. She quickly made her way from the library to Roger's study. He looked up as she entered the room.

"Roger, I think I've figured out a way to stop them!" She stopped in front of his desk where she held up a stack of parchment. "The red caps taste for Beltane blood rituals, I mean."

The tall, sandy blond wizard set aside the files he had been reviewing to give Hermione his full attention, knowing that if Hermione had a breakthrough that she was rushing to tell him about, then it was worth listening to.

"What did you found?"

"Well, in reviewing both the in-depth books from your library, plus a couple other darker books from Grimmauld Place that Harry leant to me, I've noticed that the increase in red cap attacks, for lack of a better word, during Beltane started when those participating in the rituals made the rituals more modern." She set a stack of notes on Roger's desk. Her boyfriend tactfully hid his grimace at the almost three-centimetre high pile of pages that were filled with Hermione's tiny script. "Based on what I've learned, if households, especially the old pureblood families, honour the old ways and perform the rituals as they were meant to be performed, then that just might stop the atrocious creatures from attacking."

Roger looked at her curiously, before turning his eyes back to the papers before him. "What do you mean by 'honour the old ways'?"

"Beltane is a time to celebrate unions, fertility, and harvest." Hermione sat down in the large overstuffed chair in front of Roger's desk, making herself comfortable. "The union to celebrate the handfasting between the Goddess and God can either be a physical handfasting or a trial union that lasts for a year and a day and is not legally binding, some couples look at the trial union almost like an engagement before they legally bind themselves to each other.

"Other traditions include braiding one's hair, the use of a cauldron representing the Goddess, circling the Maypole to promote fertility, jumping over or circling the Bel fire sun-wise three times for luck and gathering flowers such as primrose or daffodils, ribbons, and streamers for decorating the household," she paused for a moment. The excitement of a new discovery always left her slightly breathless, in awe of the world around her. "I believe that if these rituals are followed based on the old ways before any of the blood magic ward renewal rituals or the virgin rites are performed, then this just might stop the red caps. We shouldn't have to fear being attacked by those creatures when this is supposed to be a joyous holiday and prosperity for the coming growing season is a driving force behind it."

Roger took a moment after she finished speaking to re-read a section she had highlighted. "So based on what you've said and what I've read so far, then if each household honours the old ways, we may be able to stop those blood-thirsty creatures. Sometimes the modern era has a leg up over the old ways, but as you said, love, there is a reason for tradition."

He stood up and made his way around his desk to stand in front of Hermione before helping her up from her chair.

She nodded in reply. "I think so. Of course, I'll have to take it to my superiors, but we've got almost two weeks till Beltane still, so even if it's wrong, then I should be able to find something else." She paused before looking at him questioningly, "If this does work and is approved by my superiors, are you willing to tie yourself to me for a year and a day, just to participate in this ritual for your own home?"

Roger's answering grin was positively wolfish as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "If it means I get to keep you, then yes I am. I'd gladly tie myself to you for the rest of my life if it meant being able to have you in my arms."

Hermione blushed.

Roger brushed his fingers across the light colour staining her cheeks. "Well, this sounds like a moment to celebrate," he murmured.

Hermione laughed. "I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, I could be wrong."

He smirked. "Love, you are very rarely wrong, but to make you feel better, how about this? What if we celebrate the fact that this is the first time in a week that I've seen you for more than ten minutes in one go?"

"I think I can celebrate that." A smirk of her own spread across her face, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "What shall we start with?"

"How about a nice relaxing bubble bath, before some alone time in the bedroom?" He waggled his eyebrows, as his hands slid from her waist down to cup her bottom.

Hermione jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. "That sounds wonderful," she whispered against his ear, before nipping the lobe.


	3. Beltane Without Red Caps

Here are the prompts I used for this last chapter:

Situation prompt: The primitive carnality which drove the fire dancing and rituals completed the night before was replaced in the morning light with a passion of another sort-a light hearted good cheer that led the feet and ribbon to twine the intricate patterns on the May Pole.  
Word prompts: embers, replete, wisp  
Image prompt (Remove *): ht*tps*:*/live*.*staticflickr*.*com/65535/33960380218_40bf97141b_

* * *

The early morning sun was just starting to peak over the horizon as Hermione woke and slowly became aware of her surroundings.

She could hear the many birds chirping happily in the woods that surrounded the Davies' property. The whisper of the wind as it travelled through the grass and over her body brought with it the sounds of other revellers also waking to greet the day and the last few embers crackling from the dying Bel fires.

She shivered in the cool morning breeze. At the movement, Roger unconsciously squeezed her closer to his warm body. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth at his action.

Hermione could also feel that the gossamer shift dress she wore the night before was starting to bunch around her upper thighs from tossing and turning in her sleep. She didn't want to give any of Roger's friends and relatives any more of a view than they may have received the night before during the fire dancing and rituals they all participated in, so she reached down to pull the material to a more decent level. Once she moved the dress, she quickly became aware of just how carnal their activities had been the night before, and she slid the shift more delicately over her sore body.

After her outfit was back in its proper place, the brunette witch relaxed back into her boyfriend's arms.

She was very thankful to see that she still had her clothing on, but her arse ached and she could feel a severe case of grass and blanket rash coming on. 'I will have to make sure I take care of that, and soon,' she thought, groaning as her shift dress brushed against her sore bum again when she turned in Roger's arms.

Looking up at her boyfriend, she smiled; he looked like he could've still been in Hogwarts with wisps of hair covering his forehead and the lines around his closed eyes smoothing out in his sleep.

As she watched him sleep, Hermione thought back to the night previous. She was delighted with how the festivities went the night before. Two weeks prior, when she turned in her findings to her superiors, they were impressed with her suggestions and agreed that they just might work and to pass the idea on to the general populace. After she received their approval, she then spoke with Roger and his family about including the old rituals in their Beltane plans. Roger's mum, who had taken a quick liking to the Muggleborn witch when the younger couple started dating, was only too happy to try anything to stop the red caps from bothering their Beltane celebration like they had done in recent years.

"You know, now that I think about it, we didn't have any unwanted visitors last night, even when Roger and his father performed the blood ward rituals," she murmured to herself.

"What was that, love?" Roger cracked an eye open bleary with sleep.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I was just saying that we didn't have any unwanted visitors last night, even during the blood ward rituals."

Roger nodded more awake now. "You're right, no little goblin-like creatures were running around causing mayhem last night."

"Now all we need to do is gather a few more flowers, dance around your family's May Pole, and eat the feast that your elves have been preparing for us. After all that, then I think we can safely say that the red caps are gone from the Davies family Beltane celebration."

"Do we really have to get up? I'd rather stay here with you in our own little world."

Hermione chuckled. "I'd love to do that too, but we need to be present with the rest of the revellers to make sure everything goes according to plan, and we don't have to worry about a chance of them returning." She smirked at him. "How about this? After everything is over, we'll head back to my place for some alone time."

Roger returned her smirk with one of his own, kissing her shoulder. "I like the way you think, love."

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Let's go." She slipped out of his arms and stood up. Roger reached up, grabbed her hand, pulling her back down to lie on top of him, her legs straddling his waist. She laughed, "Roger! We don't have time for this!"

"Oh, I always have time for you, my dear." Roger waggled his eyebrows, an impish grin upon his face.

She shook her head, smiling. "You're incorrigible." She kissed his cheek before wiggling out of his arms again, spinning in circles, laughing as she declared gaily, "Now, come on, we must get out there and join the light-hearted good cheer that will lead our feet around the May Pole in intricate patterns twining our beautiful teal and magenta ribbons together."

As Roger stood up from where they'd been lying on the ground, he chuckled at his girlfriend's antics.

* * *

Later after the feast, Hermione beheld the finished May Pole, grinning at the results. "I think our first Beltane together turned out fantastic, replete with all the rituals we needed to ward off the red caps."

"Love, I think I just might have to agree with you." Roger pulled her back into his arms, kissing her soundly in celebration. Pulling back, he murmured against her lips, "Now, about that alone time at your place."


End file.
